Accession Number:

ADA090281

Title:

The Vapor Phase Autoxidation of Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine and 50- Percent Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine - 50-Percent Hydrazine Mixtures

Descriptive Note:

Final rept. Jan-Oct 79

Corporate Author:

AIR FORCE ENGINEERING AND SERVICES CENTER TYNDALL AFB FL ENGINEERING AND SERVICES LAB

Personal Author(s):

• Stone, Daniel A.

Report Date:

1980-04-01

Pagination or Media Count:

32.0

Abstract:

The autoxidations of unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine UDMH and a mixture of 50-percent UDMH and 50-percent hydrazine 50-50 blend have been studied at pressures of several Torr in 44-cm reaction vessels and several ppm in a long path cell. With initial UDMH pressures of several Torr, autoxidation proceeded too slowly to be differentiated from natural decay processes. When the initial UDMH pressure was lowered to a few ppm, the addition of oxygen caused approximately first order decay with a half life of about 84 hours. The main oxidation product under these conditions was formaldehyde dimethylhydrazone. The 50-50 blend did not behave as two independent systems instead, there were substantial positive synergistic effects observed. At concentrations of a few Torr of each component, the addition of oxygen resulted in a 10- to 20-fold increase in decay rate over that shown by UDMH or hydrazine by itself. At ppm concentration levels, the situation was similar for UDMH where a four-fold oxidation rate increase was observed when compared with a similar experiment with no hydrazine present. However, hydrazine oxidation in the 50-50 blend was somewhat slower that it was in a similar experiment with only hydrazine present. Author

Descriptors:

• *VAPOR PHASES
• *OXIDATION
• *AUTOMATIC
• *HYDRAZINE DERIVATIVES
• HYDRAZINES
• REACTION KINETICS
• RATES
• MIXTURES
• OXYGEN
• DECAY
• FORMALDEHYDE

Subject Categories:

• Organic Chemistry
• Liquid Rocket Propellants

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE